Tasmanian Quality Meats operates a meat processing plant in Cressy, Tasmania. Image credit: Mark Stebnicki, Pexels
Tasmanian Quality Meats (TQM) is at risk of losing their export licence, after they were found to have breached animal welfare regulations at their meat processing plant.
Last Friday, the Federal Department of Agriculture issued a draft notice suspend TQM’s export licence and gave them seven days to respond.
“It appears that activists illegally accessed our facility between August and September this year, installing a number of hidden cameras and subsequently providing the illegally obtained footage to the Government,” said Jake Oliver, owner of TQM.
The footage was obtained by Farm Transparency Project and is believed to show cows being killed without stunning and “one drowning in blood after being dropped onto the floor while still conscious”.
TQM is one of five Tasmanian slaughterhouses that have breached regulations this year, according to Farm Transparency Project.
Executive Director of Farm Transparency Project, Chris Delforce, said the breaches occurred within view of the facility’s cameras and indicated a “total failure of government regulators to enforce already-pitiful animal welfare standards”.
Tasmanian Quality Meats says the suspension would cause “devastating flow-on impacts” to hundreds of workers and the wider agricultural industry.
“I would like to stress that we condemn all mistreatment of animals in the strongest possible terms,” said Oliver.
He said the family-run business is “committed to upholding the highest levels of animal welfare standards and regard all matters of animal welfare with the upmost importance”.
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Water Janie Finlay said that all levels of government must “work together” to keep TQM’s export licence in place.
“Suspending the export licence will be devastating and have far reaching consequences.”
It is believed that TQM has since appointed an animal welfare officer with increased quality assurance monitoring and mandatory training for all employees.
Farm Transparency Project is calling for an immediate suspension of all facilities where illegal activity has occurred.
